


Shutting Down and Shutting Up

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Banter, Drama, F/M, Friendship, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-22
Updated: 2014-01-22
Packaged: 2018-01-09 16:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1148119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We started off on the wrong foot.  We probably ended on the wrong foot a decade ago and restarted on the wrong foot a few years before that.  It’s time for us to get this right.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shutting Down and Shutting Up

**Author's Note:**

> OTP today, OTP tomorrow, OTP forever! Screen capping the show and seeing their few scenes together, no matter how antagonistic, reminded me how many more amazing stories this pairing may yet tell. This is just one of them.

“Ma'am, its Nick.” The guard shone his large flashlight into the office. “Are you alright, ma'am?”

“I'm fine, what's the status?”

“We were alerted to three breaches before the lights went out. At this time the building is shutdown; no one is getting in or out except security. The estimated time to clear the entire building is 90 to 120 minutes.”

“Will the lights come back on before the shutdown ends?” Erin asked.

“Right now we’re doubtful ma'am. It seems that even generated power is quite low. The labs have their fridges but that’s about it.”

“And the blackout and breaches weren’t caused by some surge; by the thunderstorm?”

“Its possible ma'am, but in a situation like this it’s best to assume nothing and everything. We’re on code red.”

“I understand.” Erin nodded. “I need updates every 30 minutes; by telephone is fine.”

“Yes ma'am, I’ll let my supervisor know immediately.”

“Thank you, Nick. Could you please close the door?”

“Yes ma'am.”

He pulled the door closed and she heard his footsteps in the bullpen. Erin sighed, sliding down in her chair. Luckily most of her staff had gone home for the night when this happened. Other bullpens in the building had been full. They'd been in the dark for about 20 minutes. 

It wasn’t the most horrible condition to be in as conditions went. The shutdown meant you couldn’t leave the room you were in once it was declared. There happened to be someone else in her office at the time. Erin wouldn’t have minded being alone. She didn’t know how well she would do with company.

“Are we just going to sit here and not speak to each other?” he asked.

“I'm considering it.”

“Erin…”

“What? Are you afraid of quiet?” she asked.

“No.” David Rossi crossed his arms and leaned back on her couch. Lightning streaked across the sky, temporarily lighting the room. A large crash of thunder followed it. “Sometimes I prefer it.”

“Let this be one of those times.”

“Would it hurt you to be nice to me?” Dave asked.

“You're kidding me, right?” Erin laughed but it was mirthless. “David, you're an asshole. You're a lot of things but you're definitely an asshole. You’ve been nothing but rude to me since your return to the BAU. 

“You were rude to me when you called about returning to the BAU. Do I care, not particularly? But please spare me the Mary, Mother of God routine. It doesn’t fit with your ego alright.”

“I'm sorry.”

“No you're not.” She shook her head.

“Now even my apologies are false? I know we've had our share of…”

“You said that you weren’t afraid of quiet. Please prove it.”

He sighed but didn’t say anything more. Erin opened her laptop, turning it on. There were at least four hours of battery charge on it. Maybe a little music would make it easier. She scrolled through her media player, clicked on a song, and then hit shuffle. 

Fleetwood Mac started playing; Erin adjusted the volume. _Loving you, is it the right thing to do? How can I ever change things that I feel_? She didn’t want to listen to this song but couldn’t turn it off either. It was too late. The ringing phone startled her but Erin answered it quickly.

“This is Section Chief Erin Strauss.”

“I was hoping that you wouldn’t get stuck there, kiddo. I should’ve known you were staying too late.”

“They would’ve been on my phone at home anyway.” She said.

“Do they know what happened?” Deputy Director Kirk Douglas asked.

“Three breaches and a thunderstorm are the current possibilities.”

“Last time I checked that was Latin for ‘we have no earthly idea’.”

“Yes sir.” Erin laughed.

“Are you alright? I felt your apprehension all the way from Ann Arbor.”

“What are you doing in Ann Arbor?” she asked.

“I'm speaking at Michigan on Monday and Tuesday. Marjorie and I thought it would be a good idea to come down early and enjoy the atmosphere. Maybe now you can answer my question.”

“I'm fine.” Erin replied. “I haven’t been afraid of the dark for a long time. I'm a big girl, sir.”

“I'm still allowed to worry.” Kirk said.

“Not on a secure line. That reeks of favoritism.”

“I don’t care. I know you're not alone.”

“What? Seriously?” Erin couldn’t help the exasperation in her tone. Yes, he was the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was also like a father to her and sometimes fathers butted their noses where they didn’t belong. 

Erin and Kirk had been together so long there were times when she was unsure of what role he was playing. “How do you…you know what, nevermind. I am fine sir and am hoping that this will be over quickly. I’d also like to say that if you're up to something, stop.”

“From experience you could be there until 2 a.m.” Kirk said.

“Thank you for the vote of confidence.”

“Would you like to talk about your company?”

“Absolutely not.” Erin replied. “In fact sir, I probably shouldn’t be tying up this line. Security needs to call every half hour with updates.”

“Be safe, and enjoy your weekend when you finally get to it.”

“You as well, sir. Goodnight.”

Erin hung up the phone and glared at Rossi. He could feel the daggers in her eyes from across the room. He wanted to hold up his hands to shield them but decided that standing up to the scrutiny was a better idea.

“I didn’t do anything.” He said.

“I've known you long enough to know that is not true. Why did you come up here, David? Why did you come up here and then the entire building shut down?”

“That’s two questions, only one of which I can answer.”

“So answer it.” Erin said.

“We started off on the wrong foot.” Dave said. “We probably ended on the wrong foot a decade ago and restarted on the wrong foot a few years before that. It’s time for us to get this right.”

“Things aren't always that easy.”

“Aren't you even willing to try? We’re together again, Erin.”

“Working together again…we’re working together again. There is a vast difference.”

Dave didn’t say anything for a while; Erin took advantage of the quiet. James Taylor came on her laptop and she closed her eyes. Trying to get comfortable, even in an ergonomic chair, wasn’t really working for her. What she needed more than anything was a cigarette and a strong drink. Both might be possible with a little subterfuge.

“Do you want a drink?” she asked.

“Is the Pope Catholic? What do you have?”

“For you, the best whiskey…with a strychnine chaser.”

“You're always sexy when you're threatening. I don’t think enough people tell you that. I’ll take the whiskey.”

Erin got up, walking over to the table in the middle of the room. She grabbed two glass tumblers and walked back to her desk. There was a bottle of Maker’s Mark in her bottom drawer that she only used in desperate times. This would surely count as one of those times. She poured two liberal glasses before pulling a sterling silver cigarette case from her purse.

Dave watched as she tinkered around. There was one thing about Erin Strauss, a million things really but one was on his mind at the moment. She never wasted her movements. The way her hips swayed when she walked; the flicks and fluidity of her wrists. 

She took a towel from one of the cabinets on her credenza. Erin quickly stuffed it under the office door. She lit a stick of Dragon’s Blood incense; it didn’t take long for the spicy, floral scent to tickle his senses. Finally, she brought the drinks over and sat down on the couch. Erin put as much distance between them as she could.

“Are you about to smoke a bong?” he asked, amused grin on his face. “I haven’t been with a girl who lit incense since CCNY. Where are you hiding the David Bowie and _Annie Hall_ posters? This whole scenario would be better if you took your hair down.”

“My son brought the incense for me.” She lit a Marlboro Mild and ignored the rest of his statement. “I love candles and scents. He suggested it so I wouldn’t have to worry about falling asleep and burning down the house. It was a good idea.”

“I think we should start again.” Dave said.

“I think we should drink and pray for the lights to come back on.”

“We could be here a while.”

Erin hoped he didn’t plan to spend the entire time talking. David Rossi couldn’t be controlled. If he wanted to do something, he was going to do it. Even if that something was driving her crazy. Erin exhaled carbon monoxide, leaning back against the pillows.

“I didn’t always hate you.” she said.

“I don’t hate you now, Erin.”

“No,” Erin shook her head. “I mostly hate you.”

Dave laughed, drinking his whiskey. It was the good stuff, not that he had a doubt.

“How do we fix it?” he asked.

“It might just be better to stay out of each other’s way. If you're here to help the BAU, I'm not going to impede that. If you try to step on my toes you’ll wish you stayed retired.”

“There are the threats again. Sexy, yes, but unnecessary. I'm here to do exactly what I said I was here to do.”

“You're not allowed to find me sexy.” Erin said. She picked up her own whiskey. “I'm your superior, David.”

“Impossible.”

“Why do you do this? Why do you treat me like hell and flirt with me? Nothing about that behavior is normal for a boy past puberty. Did you fall and you’re your head as a child? What is wrong with you?”

“How much time do you have?” Dave countered.

“Hopefully not much.”

“We could just…we could do what we need to do and get this tension out of the way. We've done it before.”

“I'm not fucking you.” Erin looked at him. Then she laughed. “There is no way in hell I will ever fuck you again. I can't even believe…”

“It’s never been bad.” He said. “Love me, hate me, whatever; it’s never been bad. We’re actually quite good at it.”

“I didn’t say it was bad. Lots of unhealthy things are good. Pizza is a good example of that.”

“Pizza can't do to you what I can, Erin.”

“Did you come up here just to ask me to fuck you? We have seminars about that now you know. There are those who say you're to thank for them.”

“I just want to bury the hatchet.” Dave shrugged. “You know we've always had our shit at the job. I don’t think we’d be us if we weren’t at each other’s throats in these walls. Outside of Quantico has always been different. I’d like to get back to that place. I miss you.”

“Were you dumped recently?” she asked. “Are your balls too full?”

“You can be quite cruel.”

“What? You don’t find that sexy?”

“Unbearably.” He grinned. “Let me take you to the symphony. The National Symphony will be doing selections from Schubert’s _Rosamunde_ and other chamber ensembles. We’ll go to the symphony, dinner, and see where the night takes us.”

Erin loved the symphony and Dave knew that. She wasn’t likely to turn down an opportunity to hear them play or a nice dinner afterward. Work was all-consuming lately. It was something Erin was used to, but a night off would be wonderful. 

As much as he could drive her crazy, Dave was good company. She didn’t want to think back that far. For every good time there had to be two bad times. They were like combustible chemicals, making beautiful colors and fireworks. Then a little too much of something got added and it was an explosion with casualties.

“The only place it’s going to take me is home.” She said.

“Is that a yes?”

“That’s an ‘I’ll think about it’.”

She rolled her eyes because she knew he was grinning. Before she could turn to glare at him, the lights came back on. Everything started up at once; Erin’s phone immediately began to ring. She put out the cigarette, taking her drink over to her desk.

“This is Section Chief Erin Strauss.”

“Ma'am, we’re back up and running. It seems as if there was a glitch in two of our programs; there have been no actual security breaches. We’re going to continue testing and searching but the lockdown is over. The building is safe.”

“Grab Penelope Garcia from the 6th floor.” Erin said. “No doubt she’ll be the kind of help you need in the bunker.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“I need a full security report by nine a.m.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Thank you, goodnight.” Erin hung up the phone. “Stop grinning.”

“Alright.” Dave tried and failed to suppress his grin.

“The lights are back on. Get out of my office, David.”

“Yes ma'am.” He stood and brushed off his slacks.

“Don’t call me ma'am.” She said.

“Can I call you?” he asked.

“No.”

“I knew you were going to say that. Goodnight, Erin.”

“Goodnight.”

Dave pulled the towel from under the door, opened it, and walked out of her office. Erin tried to shake the whole encounter off as she cleaned up what was left of it. It was time to go home. Despite it all, she was going to get out of there at a decent hour. 

The blackout could’ve gone a billion different ways. The only way she wanted to go right now was the road to Chevy Chase. Her cell phone rang as she made her way to the elevator. Her first thought was it was one of her kids but as soon as she saw the display Erin knew that wasn’t the case.

“Hello.”

“Is the crisis over?”

“Even though you're 550 miles away I know that you already know the answer.”

“I'm glad you're going to make it home at a mostly decent hour.” Kirk said.

“What are you up to?” Erin asked as she got onto the elevator.

“I don’t follow.”

“No, you don’t Mr. Deputy Director, you lead. You're going to lead David Rossi into a world of trouble.”

“I'm sure you can handle him.”

“And I'm sure you don’t have a bow and arrow so don’t play Cupid.” Erin said. “Whatever you're up to I can assure you that it’s a very bad idea.”

“Fraternization is clearly against the rules, everyone knows that.”

“Mmm hmm. Goodnight, sir.”

“Drive safely…it’s raining pretty badly out there.” Kirk said.

“I sometimes wonder why you bother to leave town.”

“So do I. Goodnight, kiddo.”

Erin hung up and slipped her phone into her purse. She was being submarined and didn’t know how to feel about it. Kirk knew a lot of what she and Dave went through during various encounters over the course of 20 years. Why would he want her to be hurt again? What did he think he was doing? She shook her head as she signed out at the desk. 

Putting up her umbrella, Erin walked out into the stormy night. There were more than a few agents making a run for it before something else called them back. A hot bath and a glass of wine were calling her name. She needed something to eat and might even turn on Lifetime and lament the horrible choices women sometimes made where men were concerned. Erin Strauss could surely identify tonight. But if it was so bad then how come she couldn’t stop smiling whenever the thought crossed her mind?

***


End file.
